Dublin, Ireland (Round 1)

We arrived in Dublin later than expected due to a few delays leaving Chicago (first there were mechanical issues on our original plane and then weather issues). We grabbed the bus to the part of town where our hotel was located but could not find our hotel... The obvious thing to do was to stop at the nearest pub for some help. We were right by a tiny pub called O'Briens (how fitting) and it was the perfect first stop for our trip. Immediately we were asked if we are Yankees by a friendly irishman drinking a Guinness. He was very helpful and chatty. He and the bartender pointed us in the right direction and we were on our way after a quick drink. Once we found our hotel, we were given an overview of the city with a list of must-sees. We decided after a long night of traveling a nap was a good idea before venturing out.

Once we were reenergized we walked around the lovely city of Dublin. I absolutely loved St. Stephen's Green! It is kind of like the central park of Dublin complete with duck ponds, fountains, statues, and winding walk ways.

After St. Stephen's Green we headed to Trinity College. We were awed by the beautiful old buildings and then sat to watch a cricket game for a few minutes. We decided to go see the Book of Kells which was created by Celtic monks around 800 AD. While the book of Kells was really cool, I was more impressed with the old library. Unfortunately, photography was not allowed so I don't have pictures but if anyone ever ventures to Dublin I highly recommend stopping here. The wooden cathedral ceilings have old books reaching from the floor all the way up to them. It's truly breathtaking!

Next we went to Grafton Street, which is the main shopping district in Dublin. Believe it or not, I resisted any shopping (my luggage is so heavy I can't imagine adding anything more). Luckily, Grafton Street did offer more than just shopping. There seemed to be a new street performer every few stores. They were mostly musicians and played a large range of music from traditional irish music to the Rolling Stones. I made sure to toss a few euros to my favorites!

The day was ended with dinner at Sussex, a favorite of the locals according to our hosts.

I've added a few pictures from the day. Tomorrow we head to Amsterdam! We'll be back for round 2 in Dublin at the end of our trip. That's when we'll go to the Guinness Storehouse and a few other sites.